Filling-machine.



No. 321.186. PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

F. M. PETERS. FILLING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

HPATENTED MAY 22,. 1906. F. M; PETERS. FILLING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1903 4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

No. 821,186. I PATENTBD MAY 22, 1906. F. M. PETERS.

FILLING MACHINE.

APPLIGATIOfi FILED SEPT. 25. 1903.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

No. 821,186. v PATEN'JIED MAY 22, 1906. F. M. PETERS? FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION -FILED SEPT. 25. 1903.

7 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4,

UNITE a: FTCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented may 22, 190d.

Application filed September 25, 1903. Serial No. 174,604:-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK M. PETERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicage, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filling-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in filling or packaging machines, the same being designed for use more articularly in connection with the filling of tio xes or packages with manufactured food products, such as bakery goods and'similar articles, which are usual y put up in pasteboard "cartons or similar receptacles.

More particularly, the invention relates to a filling-machine of that type designed to handle material and introduce the same to the carton in a loose condition as distinguished from that type of packaging-ma chines wherein the shape of the carton is made to conform to the outline shape of the goods and the latter are disposed in a regu lar arrangement or order within the carton.

The present .invention has been desi ned more especially to operate u on ba liery oods and similar products small and her sizes and more or less irregular shape, such as oyster-crackers and the like, in which the goods are loosely and freely deposited en masse in predetermined quantities, and the principal object of the invention is to facilitate the filling of the boxes or receptacles with this class of goods in measured quantities and in an even, uniform, and practically continuous manner and with capacity and despatch.

Another important object of the invention is to adapt the machine by an easily-efieeted adjustment thereof to the delivery of varying quantities.

Still other objects of the invention will appear later in the detailed description thereof.

To these ends my invention resides in a new and improved machine for the mrposes stated and in various combined and cooperatin elements tl'icrcof, substantially as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

A machine illustrating the present invention in the best mechanical form in which I have as yet embodied the same is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of thecomplete machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevational view from the e posite side on an enlarged scale and with t 1e lower portion of the supporting-frame omitted. Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the parts shown in Fig. 2 with the drum containing the measuringreceptacles and the discharge-chute shown in section. Fig. 4 is an enlar ed detail sectional view in the plane of t e axis of the drum, more particularly illustrating the means for adjusting the bottoms of the receptacles to vary the capacity of the latter. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional detail on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fi 6 is an isolated detail of one of the adjustable receptaclebottorns and its stem, and Pi 7 is an enlarged cross-sec: tional view of t e receptacle-carrying drum with the adjustable receptacle-bottoms in elevation and more particularly illustrating thehollow formation of the quadrant-partitions between said rece tacles.

In the drawings, 10 esignates each of a pair of skeleton uprights constituting the main side members'of the supporting-frame, said members being united by tie-bars 11. The upper ends of said members support a receiving-hopper 12, and in and between said upper ends of the side frame members beneath and to one side of the lower end of the hopper is journaled a shaft 13, on which is mounted a drum containing a series of measuring-receptaclcs and constructed as follows: 1.4 and designate a pair of end plates or heads of the drum, the plate 15 being splincd or otherwise secured on the shaft 13. These plates are tied together in arallel relation by a quartet of quadrant-sfiaped partition-blocks 16, which for the sake of ightness are made of hollow formation, as shown in Fig. 7. f Jrnish the side walls of a series of radial measuring-receptacles 17, whereof the opposite inner faces of the disks 14 and 15 furnish the end walls, while the bottoms are consti. tutcd by a series of lates 18 of dimensions such as to slidingly t between the side and end walls of the receptacles, each of said plates being provided with a pair of stems 19, the inner ends of which are bifurcated, as shown in Fig. 6, and straddle the drumshaft 13. 20 designates a sleeve loosely fitting the shaft 13 and extending from the inner face of the drumhead 15 to the journalbearing of the shaft at its opposite end and longitudinally split at its outer end, as

These quadrant-partitions, 9 5

gar 821,186

shown at 20", to receive a split collar 21-, by'

tightening "which latter the sleeve is normally clamped to-the shaft, so as to rotate with the latter. On the sleeve 20 just in- Wardlyof the s lit collar 21 is loosely imam- 1 ed the headthe 14 of the drum, and the sleeve and co lar are united to turn together by a set-screw 22. The s lit collar 21 has formedtintegral therewit a peripherally io milled or corrugated hand-wheel 23, for a sweep over the top periphery'of the drum at a point substantial coincident with the upper margin of the shie d 35.

Any suitable driving mechanism for actuating the rotatable elements in proper rela- 70 tion may be employed Within the invention, a-simple and convenient mechanism for this purpose being as follows: 40 designates the main driving-shaft journaled in the upper portion of the frame beneath the hopper 12 75 and carrying a drivingulley 41,'equipped with any suitable clutc mechanism (indicated at 42) for making the same fast or loose on the shaft, as desired. Fast on the shaft par esehereinafter explained.

p eyed on thesleeve 20,ju'st inside the end plates14 and 15 of the drum are a pair of disks 24, each of which is provided with four in; eccentric slots 25,- Fig. 7, and through these slots are loosely passed pins 26, which pins respectively project from 'the opposed faces of the stems 19 oithe bottom plates 18 of the receptacles.

20 That side of the hopper 12 which is adjacenttoft'he'drum hasa rectangular openmg 27 of considerable size formed therethrough, and from the mar ins of said opening there project walls or flanges leading to and substantially in loose contact. with the periphery of that 'uadrant of the drum which is nearest the o'pper, the top wall or flange being'shown at 28, the bottom wall at 29, Fig. 2, and the side walls at 30, these 30 walls thus constituting 'a discharge-chute leading from the hopper proper to the pe- 'riphery of the drund f 31 designates a discharge-chute directly underlying the drum, which discharge-chute 5, may eonvenientlyhe supported on a trans 40 inside the main side frame members is a 80 pinion 43, which meshes with a pinion 44,

mounted on astub-shaft 45, this latter pinion meshing with a large gear 46 fast on the drumshaft 13. On the opposite end of themain driving-shaft 40 is a sprocket-wheel 47, which 85 is connected with and drives a sprocketwheel 48 on the brush-shaft by means of a sprocket-chain 49, It will be seen that the above-described driving connections effect the rotation of the brush and the drum in the 0 same direction, whereby the contacting portions of their peripheries'are caused to move in opposite drections. By reason of the fact that the brush is subjected to considerable wear which constantly reduces its diameter 5 it is desirable to so mount the brush that it can be readily'adjusted toward the periphery of the drum. For this par ose the ends'of the drum shaft are journa ed the outer ends of a pair of plates 50 ,which have a intoo and-slot connect1on,'as shown at 51 52, ig.

2, with the side members of the main frame, the inner faces of the latter being grooved, as shown at 53, Fig. 3, to provide ways for the verse bra eer bar 320i the frame, the inner or rear wan of the hopper preferably extendin up around the peripherybf the drum to a (nut where it joins the lower margin of -the 40 bottom wall 29 of the opening or chute 27, "plates 50. vA's the brush wears down the pins 105 leading from the hopper 12;. The lower end 51 are loosened, the plates set inwardly "to a of the discharge-chute 31 has a contracted sufiicient extent to bring the periphery of'the discharge-orifice 33 of'a form and dimensions brush into engagement with the periphery of well adapted to the discharge of the goods 4.5 into the open'end of 'a ho'X'or carton 34, repthe drum, and the pins again tig tened. To take up for the ski in the sprocket-chain 49 1 1o resented in Fig. 2' as supported directly therebeneath.

thus occasioned, I provide a solid-metal or 35 designates a shield or cover curved to conform to the curvature'of'the surface of the other idler pulley 54, mounted on the free 50 drum and hinged at its lower end to a transend of an arm 55, bolted at 56 tothe side frame member, saidv pulley hearing directly verse brace or bar 36 of the frame with its lower edge substantially coincident with the ripen the upperseetien of the chain. 1 1 5 Any suitable support to hold the box or carton ,34 in proper reeeiving sition beupp'er forward edge of the discharge-chute nea'ththe chute 31 may'he emp oyed;'bi'1t"a 31 The shield 35 extends upwardly over the surface of the drum nearly to the top thereof and is adapted to be maintained in coverin relation to the periphery of the drum by a ook 37, ivoted to one of the side frame members 0 the'machine and engaging a lat- 6o erallyl-l'projecting pin 38 on-the side Iriargin of thee 'eld.

39 designates -a cylindrical-shaped brush rotatably mounted on are between the u per ends of the main sideirame members in such a position as to'peripherally engage and simple support whlch prevents the accumulation of dust and (lirt'on the machine'is he'rein 1 20 shown and'consists of 'the following. 57 designates'each of a pair of hori'zontally disposed angle-irons secured to the inner faces of the main side frame members, resting upon and across which is another angle iron-SS, so 'disr2 5 posed beneath the discharging-orifice 33 of the chute 31 as to form a guide and stop for 'the'ca'rton in'a "manner lainly shown in Fig. 2. In order 'to-support the outer edge of the base of the carton,where .the latter is of 1 0 series greater width than the base of the angle-iron 58, an auxiliary support in the form of a fiat bar 59 may be employed. By reason of this style of support practically all the dust and line particles discharged from the machine and not caught by the box drop to the floor, where they are readily swept up, thus leav ing the carton-support always free and un obstructed. A

The operation of the machine may be briefly described as follows: The rotation of the main shaft setsup a rotation of the drum and of the brush through the described driving connections in the respective directions indicated by the arrows. As the open outer end of each receptacle passes through that arc of its travel wherein. it registers with the discl1arge-opening of the hopper 12, it receives by gravity a charge of tee crackers or other material, being completely filled thereby. As it passes out oiengagernent iththe hopper it meets the brush which sweeps over the top of the contents of the rece tacle, thus evening oil the latter, whio the open 'end of the receptacle immediately passes by the shield 35, whereby the contents are-re" tained therein until havin traveledpast the shield and emerged into t 1e discharge-chute 31 the crackers or other material fall into and through the latter, being discharged thence directly into the carton 34, which is at once removed to be closed and sealed makingplace for the neg-(t empty carton. The empty receptacle then" travels upwardly through a quarter-circle, which brings it again into gradual registration with the discharge-o ening of the receiving-hopper, from whic 1 it tahes its next charge. in this way the several radial receptacles of the drum are successively charged and emptied one after the other, the speed with which the filling operation is carried on depending, of course, upon the speed of rotation imparted to the drum.

eading advantage of the machine re-" sides in its capacity, when properly adjusted, to serve cartons or boxes of widely-varying capacity. This advantage it possesses by reason of the presence of the adjustable'bottoms 18 of the. several chargin -receptaoles. In the drawings these'receptac es are shown (by the full lines) as adjusted to their maximum capacity. ViJhen it is desired to employ them for charging cartons of less capacity, the collar 21 is loosened and turned by the hand-wheel 23, which effects a partial turning of the sleeve 20 and of the slotted disks 24, which latter by reason of their camslot engagement with the'pins 26 serve to simultaneously and equally move the, loottoms 18 outwardly, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. '7. When the bottoms have thus been moved outwardly to the desired extent, the collar 21 is tightened up,- again clarnpfn the sleeve 20 to the shaft 13, and the machine is then ready for the charging of cartons of a capacity equal to the capacity of the modified charging-weep It will be observed the drum is solid tor cons. between adjacent nieosurii. important advai struction resides l.- essary to J stopping "phery of distance eptacles. An

n cons not nec- -.oveinent,

is or discharge iore by a radia. sary to or step move eat 0 suiticieiit interval between ween i t c use urges to on his the filled carton to rerncv d an e ty carton to insei o. i Furthermore, such a construction intermittent movement in order to sheet the measuring function, since otherwise there would be a more or l as continuous discharge simultaneously from two or more adjacent ineasuringaeceptacles.

From the foregoing it will be seen that my invention provides machine adapted to charge boxes or cartons in a rapid, neat, and

accurate manner. and with a minimum of waste and breakage. It also dispenses with 5 the necessity of providing separate machines or even separate charging-drums for the accommodation of cartons oi difierent capacities. i \y it is evident that the machine as described mightbe considerably varied in respec to constructional details without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is also obvious that. the machine is adapted for use in the fillin of cartons, boxes, packages, or any receptacTes of uniform capacity with any kind or class of material which will .pass through the machine. Hence I do not limit the invention, except to the extent indicated in specific claims, to such constructional de' tails or to its employment with any particular classof materia l claim 1. in a filling-machine, the combination of a receiving-ho per having a discharge-0pen-. ing, 'a'rotatab e drum having a plurality of radially-dis osed measuring-compartments separated y solid peripheral portions, a chute connecting said discharge-opening with the periphery of said drum, and a rotatable 12o brush mounted to form one wall of said chute and to sweep .the periphery of the drum to even oil the contents of the measuring-com partments as they pass thereunder, substantially as described. 1

2. in a filling-machine, the combination of a receivinghopper having a dischar 'e-opening, a rotatable drum beneath sai hopper having a plurality of radially-dis osed meas airing-compartments separated y solid peripheral portions, a chute connecting said discharge-opening with the periphery of said drum, a rotatable brush mounted to form one wall of said chute and to sweep the periphery sweepingly contacting the top of said periphery, means to rotate said drum and brush in the same direction, and a dischargechute covering the lower portion of said periphery, substantial? as described.

4. In a Hing-machine, the combination with a receiving-hopper having a dischargeopening, of a rotating drum having a plurality of radially-disposed measuring-compartments mounted torotate across and in regiswith one side of the perIph-I axial y a rotary brush forming the upper wall 0 s'ai'd chute and described.

ter with the discharge-opening of the hopper, each of said compartments having a bottom movable inwardly and outwardly of the com-' partment to vary the capacity thereof, and cam means rotatable with-said drum for simultaneously adjusting the positions of said bottoms, substantially as described 5. In a filling-machine, the combination with a receiving-hopper having a discharge-. opening,

of .a continuously-rotatable drum having a plurality of radial y disposed'meas- ,uring-comp artments mounted to rotate across and in register with the discharge opening of the hopper, each of said compartments having a bottom movable inwardly and "youtwardly of thecompartment to vfithe car pacit. thereof, a shaft on which s i is mounted, .a series of forked stems seto'the inner sides of said movable botcured toms and straddling said shaft, a disk adjustably mounted on said shaft and having a series of eccentric slots, and pins projecting from the faces of said stems and engaging said slots, whereby the rotary adjustment of said disk eflects' the inward and outward movement of said bottoms, substantially as FRANK M. PETERS.

Witnesses:

SAMU'EL N. POND,

Fnnnnmcx C. Goonwm. 

